Lying Can Get You Killed
by McGeeklover
Summary: It wasn't going to kill him, he just had to figure out who killed Trimble, get a confession from Celia and get out of the jail...then he can tell Gibbs he was stabbed. Tag to Caged


**Lying Can Get You Killed**

**Just a one-shot, cause I was bored and I had nothing better to do. Don't worry, I haven't forgotten about Hitman's Target. I'll get back to that soon. So here you are. Enjoy and don't forget reviews :)**

**Disclaimer: Don't own NCIS :(**

"Hello, I'm Special Agent Timothy McGee. Thank you for seeing me," Said McGee sitting down in the chair stationed across from Celia Roberts. She was a double murderer and the team's current case landed McGee right in the Maryland Woman's Prison to get a sighed confession on another murder that looks like it might have been her again.

"Have a choice?" Celia sneered.

Tim sighed as he took out two pictures. "Two photos. Same guy. Lt. Neil Polleto."

"He looks better in this one," Celia pointed out to the one with the living Lt.

"Before and after shots. This one," said Tim, showing the dead and decomposed Polleto, "is after he was stabbed 23 times and had both his middle fingers cut off."

"Looks like he's aged a bit, too," replied Celia as she shifted in her chair.

"About 11 years," McGee nodded.

"Guess that's why you're here."

"You killed two other men the same way with the same weapon. Yours. It would be nice for the Polleto family to have closure."

_"Stop looking at him!"_

_ "Why don't you shut up, Vicari?"_

_ "Settle down now."_

_ "You want to go?"_

_ "Now! Get in! I'm not gonna tell you again."_

McGee looked uneasily at the entrance to the interrogation door and then back to Celia. _Probably nothing unusual._ "You were convicted in Maryland and Polleto's body was found in Virginia. You know why that's bad for you? Death penalty. Virginia is very big on it. Confess and this stays a federal case, meaning no conviction until you served your current sentence. Meaning never. Otherwise, I hand this to the authorities in Virginia."

_"Way back. Way back."_

"I don't like needles," said Celia, glaring at Tim.

"Your choice."

_CRASH!_

"What is that?" Said Tim getting up to see what all the commotion was.

"Damn," Celia said, following Tim to the door.

"Everything okay out there?" Tim said as he began to open the door. Suddenly another inmate swung open the door and grabbed his arm.

"Come on!" She yelled.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~NCIS~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~NCIS~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

After the team found out that their was a hostage situation at the jail, they rushed into action, immediately wanting to get there as fast as possible to see if McGee was okay...more so, alive.

"Who's in charge here?" Demanded Gibbs as he walked in.

"Gene Halsey, warden."

"Gibbs, NCIS. We got an agent here. Where is he?"

"Visitor center, inmates have control of it."

Tony and Ziva looked at each other, fearing the worse. Sure they made fun of McGee for not being the persuasive type, but he was their friend, part of their family and if he got hurt, they would feel guilty.

"He is alive?" Asked Ziva hopefully.

"Don't know. The cameras are out."

_Dammit._

"You plan to retake this by force?" Gibbs questioned.

"If they don't get out of there real soon. Til then, I have this entire prison on lock down."

"And the hostages?"

"This prison has a no-hostage policy, meaning every man, woman and child who comes in those gates gives up their right to be rescued," Stated Gene. "But believe me, I'm gonna do everything I can to minimize casualties. I got men in there, too. Now, I'm kind of busy."

"Do you have much experience in hostage recovery?" Growled Gibbs.

"I have an emergency response plan."

"Okay. Have you ever put it into action?"

The warden turned around and left them alone.

"Take that as a no," said Tony.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~NCIS~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~NCIS~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

McGee was now handcuffed to the the window bars, along with some guards, one already injured.

"How are you doing?" McGee Gordon Lambro, the injured guard.

"I think my arm's busted," he panted.

"What happened?"

"One minute everything's fine. The next, I saw Trimble stumble in bleeding, then he went down. And they all just cut loose," replied another chained guard. "We tried to restore order but..."

The inmates started yelling at each other, trying to figure out what had happened, trying to decide what to do, but they were unorganized.

"I say we give up before it's too late," said Judy Williams, a woman that killed her 80-year-old neighbor for meds.

For some reason, McGee felt the need to speak up. He would know later that it was a bad idea.

"That's a good idea," he said.

"Who's he?" Said Angela Lopez.

"A cop," sneered Celia.

All the inmates began to laugh, but none laughed louder than Angela.

"All right," she growled, "They rush us, you are the first to die."

"I'm not a cop; I'm an NCIS agent."

"Just as dead."

McGee sighed heavily, sweat dripping down his forehead. What has he gotten himself into?

After ten minutes of listening to the inmates talking and Tim listening to Gordon tell him about the people convicted. He looked at each of them, but he stared at Angela Lopez, convicted of armed robbery, kidnapping and murder. She sensed eyes looking at her and turned to McGee. _Crap. He was caught. _

"We should send out an ear or finger to show them we're serious," snarled Angela.

"That's crazy," said Judy.

"Shouldn't be a guard. That will really piss them off." Angela stormed over to McGee and pinned him back against the wall with Vicari's help. She took out a knife and brought it near McGee's finger.

"He screams, cut his throat."

"Wait, wait, wait," McGee pleaded. "This is a bad idea."

"You got a better one?" Said Angela.

McGee nodded, but Angela just glared at him. "Okay, but this," she brought back her knife and plunged it into Tim's side, "Is for staring at me, and for coming into my prison."

McGee, along with many others, gasped in horror, McGee more in shock and pain. His knees were about to give out, but he couldn't fail. He couldn't let his team down. He needed to fix this.

"A-are you okay?" Asked Gordon with concern.

"I'll live," breathed Tim. But truth was, the wound was searing pain, and even though the cut didn't look deep, blood was already oozing out and staining his white shirt. He pulled his suit jacket over it, and with one trembling hand, he buttoned it closed so no one would notice. At least not for a while.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~NCIS~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~NCIS~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"I got a bad a bad feeling about Bozo and his three- ring circus," said Tony after he watched Ziva ignore another call from Abby.

"Can we go over his head?" She asked.

"It's his ball." Stated Gibbs, coming into the conversation.

Just then, Gene came over and gestured for Gibbs to follow him.

"An inmate using a confiscated radio says they want to make some demands. Want to show me they're are serious."

"Show you?" Questioned Gibbs as they went into the gates.

"One of them's coming out. This is not your jurisdiction, Agent Gibbs."

"How often to you handle this sort of thing?"

"Open up," said Gene, ignoring Gibbs question. "I do the talking, you got that? Gonna find out who's calling the shots here."

The doors open, and both Gibbs and Gene expected an inmate, but instead McGee came out slowly. But something was off, Gibbs realized. Tim's thin sweat layered face was drained of all color. Gibbs could tell he was also trying to walk normally, but he could see the slight limp in Tim's step, also Tim's arm was plastered to his side like he was holding something. When he got closer, he could hear Tim was out of breath. Something was not right.

"They let you go?" Asked Gene.

"Not exactly," panted McGee, but trying not to show it.

Gibbs just came right out and said it. "Are you alright, McGee?"

Tim brought his pained filled eyes over to Gibbs and stared at him. He hated that he was going to have to lie to his Boss, but he wanted to get this solve this case, stop the hostage situation, and get the confession from Celia. If he did, maybe none of them would doubt his abilities ever again.

"Yeah, Boss, I'm fine. Just a bit shaken," said McGee straightening up, trying to look as healthy as he could. Gibbs looked at him skeptically, but nodded.

"All right, what's the situation," asked Gene.

"Actually, I've been told I can only deal directly with my Boss, Special Agent Gibbs. They're watching us right now."

"Situation, McGee," asked Gibbs, still concerned about McGee and what he was not telling him.

McGee explained what happened and they tried to figure out what was going to happen. After thirty minutes, Ducky got to the prison and both he and Gibbs followed Tim inside.

"Timothy, my dear boy, are you alright? You look like you're about to pass out."

"Well, Ducky, given the situation, I might just do that," Tim said irritably. The pain was already bad enough, he didn't want people asking questions; mostly about how he was doing. He wasn't a child, he could handle himself.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~NCIS~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~NCIS~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

During the day, McGee occasionally went to the bathroom to try and cover up the blood as it, a couple times already, almost seeped through his jacket. He was almost done, and he didn't want to reveal what happened before the case was solved. The pain, though, just go worse and worse; he was feeling sick and fevered and assumed that his wound was getting infected. Almost done... Finally!

Soon McGee had found out that Sharon Bellows had stabbed Trimble, because he was raping her daughter. He gathered his things and sighed. He made it through. Now if he could just get home without the team noticing. He walked slowly out, wincing now and then from the pain, but forced a calm face when he got outside and saw his team waiting for him.

"Where is she?" Asked Gene.

"Saying goodbye," McGee replied shakily.

Gibbs, once again, studied Tim's face and saw that he'd gotten worse, and his arm was still on his side. There was still something that he was not telling, or showing, him. McGee turned away from him, having his back to all three of his colleagues, and waited for Sharon to come out. After, for some reason, Celia confessed to killing both Trimble and Lt. Polleto, Tim sagged and breathed a sigh of relief. It was over.

"You okay, McGee?" Asked Tony, concern laced in his voice.

Thank god McGee was turned away from them or they would of seen the annoyed look on his face or him rolling his eyes.

"Yeah," he huffed.

"Did any of them hurt you, McGee. I will kick their ass."

McGee looked over his shoulder and smirked at the comment _Damn! Why was the stab wound burning so much. Why couldn't he breath. Well, so much for waiting until he got home. They were gonna find out sooner or later. He preferred later though, then maybe he could lie about where the stab wound came from._

"I'm fine, I-I," Tim began, but he couldn't hold it together any longer. His knees weakened and he began his downward journey to the ground. The last thing he heard was his name being called by multiple voices and someone, thankfully, catching him before he face planted into the tar. After that, the darkness washed over him, and that was that.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~NCIS~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~NCIS~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

They watched in horror as McGee plummeted to the ground, but Tony, who was quick on his feet, leaped to catch him. He lowered McGee down gently and they all tried to figure out what just happened.

"Call an ambulance!" Shouted Gibbs as he knelt down next to Tony and Ziva.

"What just happened?" Asked Ziva, utterly shocked.

"I have no idea," replied Tony.

"Something hasn't been right all day with him. He looked injured," stated Gibbs. He thought for a moment then came to a conclusion. He reached for Tim's right arm and removed it from his side. What they all saw shocked them into silence. There was fresh and dried blood on Tim's hand and jacket sleeve. Gibbs assumed, but hoped he was wrong when he seemed to know what had happened. He peeled back the jacket and saw that his hopes were unanswered. Tim's whole side was soaked in a red substance. Blood. _What the hell happened and why didn't Tim show him this earlier?_ Ziva saw this and began to put pressure on the still blood seeping wound.

"How long has he had this?" Asked Tony.

"Probably since he's come out to tell me the situation. Damn! I knew something was wrong with him!"

Finally the paramedics came and loaded McGee onto the stretcher and into the waiting ambulance. The team watched as the ambulance took of with their injured friend. Why did he lie to them?

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~NCIS~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~NCIS~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

An hour later found the team- well most of the team- in the waiting room. Gibbs was getting Celia's confession in a _safer_ interrogation room and Ducky was finishing up with Trimble's autopsy.

Tony, Ziva, and Abby waited nervously in the waiting room. Why couldn't they get answers?

"How did this happen? You told me he was fine!" Shouted Abby as she paced the room.

"We didn't know. Gibbs didn't even know. McGee hid it well from us, Abby," replied Abby.

"Well...you should have! Timmy could be dying for all we know!"

"He's not dying," a voice from behind called out. "I assure you, Timothy is fine now."

They looked to see a doctor in her mid-30's come up to them.

"My name is Dr. Stone, I've been attending to Agent McGee's health."

"How is he? Is he gonna be okay? What the diagnosis, Dr!" Abby yelled, bombarding the Dr. with questions.

Tony held her back, trying to calm her down while he apologized. "Sorry. We're just really worried."

"It's quite alright. But, you have no reason to be worried about your friend. He's going to be okay. He was stabbed deeply, but it was only a flesh wound, hitting no major arteries or organs. He bled out a lot, though, so we had to transfuse him a pint. The only thing that was most concerning was the infection he caught. The wound is irritated and red, and he also has a fever of 103, but it should go down within 24-hrs."

The team sighed in relief, and Abby calmed down a bit. "Can we see him?" She asked.

"Of course. Right this way, but just to give you a heads up, Tim is awake, but he isn't very lucid. The fever combined with the antibiotics are clouding his head and his thoughts, so don't be surprised if he doesn't answer you correctly or even respond to you at all."

The four reached Tim's room and Dr. Stone let them go in. Tony was the first to see his friend when they got in. McGee was propped up on a bunch of pillows and his head was turned sideways, his green eyes unfocused and looking into space. At least he wasn't bleeding anymore, though he still looked a bit flushed. Ziva and Abby came in behind him and took in McGee condition quietly.

"Tim," Tony called out, hoping McGee could hear him or even register his voice at all.

Fortunately, Tim's eyes tiredly slid over to look at him. McGee smiled and shifted his head forward so he could see them better.

"Hey," he whispered tiredly.

"How you feeling, buddy?" Asked Tony as he and the two girls walked over to him.

Tim shrugged, his eyes blinking heavily, slowly succumbing to sleep.

"You should get some rest, McGee. You'll get better that way."

Tim nodded in agreement and his eyes began to shut. At the last moment, he sluggishly reopened them and sniffed.

"W-where's Gibbs?" He asked.

"Finishing up with Celia. He should be here within 20 minutes."

"I bet he's pretty pissed at me for lying to him."

"Well, no duh, McGee!" Abby yelled, gently punching Tim in the shoulder. "You lied to him; you lied to us! You could have died if you didn't tell us!"

"I'm really sorry, guys. I-I just didn't want to stop the case, because I got myself into a hostage situation and stabbed. I wanted to finished so-so I could prove to you that I could be tough sometimes. That I didn't always screw things up." Tim yawned.

Tony smiled sadly as he squeezed Tim's shoulder. "You did great, Tim. We don't doubt you, we never will ever again. You proved yourself today, but you've also done so in the past. Just try not to let what we say get you unfocused on your health. When your stabbed severely, you have to tell someone about it."

Tim gave a small smile and nodded slowly, his eyes beginning to droop again. "Alr'g't," he slurred.

"Go to sleep, McGee."

"Hmm," and with that, McGee drifted off into a deep, but fevered sleep. He was going to have to face Gibbs when he woke up again, though, and he was _not _looking forward to it.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~NCIS~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~NCIS~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The next time he opened his eyes, McGee came face to face with Gibbs. _Great. He was a dead agent walking-or laying down._

"How you feeling, Tim?"

"Better."

"Good. So, why the hell did you lie to me?" Growled Gibbs who frowned.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to, I just didn't want to fail you; I didn't want you to doubt me or regret ever having me on your team."

Gibbs' face softened as he put hand on Tim's shoulder. "I've never doubted you, and never in all the years that you have been on my team that I regretted having you. You are an outstanding agent, so don't ever _doubt_ that, okay?"

"Yes, Boss."

"Glad you understand." Then without warning, Gibbs gently head-slapped Tim.

"What was that for?" Groaned Tim as he rubbed his sore spot.

"For lying; and if you ever do it again, you'll be doing desk work for five months, got it?"

Tim nodded frantically. He learned his lesson: Never lie to your Boss or it was gonna get you killed...or head-slapped.

**The End :)**

**Did you like it? I just had to get it out of my head, because it was all I could think about. Now back to writing the chapters for Hitman's Target! (Which, if you haven't read yet, you should start reading it :) just a suggestion) Thanks for reading and don't forget to review!**


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